The Cincinnati Bengals have stocked their 2026 roster with proven veterans, Super Bowl champions, and all kinds of reinforcements on defense in particular. That could cause a shift in philosophy, where they no longer stubbornly stick with past draft picks based on nebulous potential.
Three prior draftees in Cincinnati are squarely on the roster bubble ahead of training camp in late July. A couple of the names won't be surprises based on their seventh-round status, but a hyped up defender who hasn't lived up to the hype could be out the door.
Here's a breakdown of the three Bengals who truly are entering the summer with everything at stake as far as their futures in the Queen City.
DT Kris Jenkins Jr.
The 2024 second-round pick is decidedly not a nose tackle. Cincinnati is counting on Dexter Lawrence, T.J. Slaton, and McKinnley Jackson (if he makes the roster) to fill that role.
But it's not like Jenkins is some transcendent athlete who can really make a difference from the 3-technique spot. Or so that's been the story through two NFL seasons. Why else would the Bengals go out and sign Jonathan Allen in free agency?
Allen brings much more of a dynamic pass rushing skill set to the rotation than Jenkins does. B.J. Hill and Allen will compete for snaps next to Lawrence and keep each other fresh.
From there, it'll likely boil down to Jenkins or rookie seventh-round selection Landon Robinson for that final defensive tackle spot. If Jenkins doesn't flash dominance in camp, he could easily find himself on the trade block.
CB D.J. Ivey
Although he's managed to stick around since the Bengals drafted him in the seventh round back in 2023, D.J. Ivey has his work cut out to, well, make the cut.
Between DJ Turner and Dax Hill emerging as strong boundary cornerbacks, and Jalen Davis having the inside track at nickel from last year, that doesn't leave much room for Ivey. Plus, Josh Newton is a superior player, and Cincinnati just spent a third-round pick on lengthy corner Tacario Davis.
Ivey could make his mark on special teams and justify staying on the 53-man roster that way. It'll probably depend on how many nickel types Al Golden wants to keep around.
Newton has inside-outside versatility. Ja'Sir Taylor is in the mix to start at nickel. New safety Bryan Cook can play in the slot, as can Kyle Dugger. It'll take a Herculean effort for Ivey to stick around. He's probably bound for the practice squad, if not another NFL team.
DB Daijahn Anthony
The influx of talent at the safety and nickelback positions doesn't bode well for Daijahn Anthony. His most notable play to date in the NFL is a 4th-and-long pass interference penalty that cost the Bengals yet another win at Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs.
Anthony battled a nagging hamstring injury throughout the 2025 campaign. He is a hard-hitting, speedy box safety type who just doesn't have the track record of, say, Dugger, nor the proven special teams chops of someone like PJ Jules.
Is it too late for Anthony to make a push for the 53? Probably. Nevertheless, it's hard to forget that time at Ole Miss where he absolutely laid out Jayden Daniels.
Per PFF, Anthony had 10 forced incompletions and three interceptions in his final collegiate season to complement his self-evident physicality. He made a big jump from Liberty to the SEC that year and more than held his own. I've always been intrigued by his upside.
Unfortunately, we may never see what Anthony can be in Cincinnati. He could be a sneaky-good pickup for some other team on the waiver wire. The hope is that the Bengals can stash him on the taxi squad as an emergency depth option.
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